Thursday

Quiet days in Clichy, the title of American writer Henry Millers novel from 1956 about artist’s bohemian life in place de la Clichy Paris.

For the collection we imagined an American writer/student going to Paris for the first time……We took the best part of America – the freshness, the energy, the bright smile and the lust for adventure!

The Americano mixed with old world decadence – Paris – place de la Clichy with its extreme mix of people and cultures.X rated clubs, Europe cheapest shops, loud women which are not always female, food from every hidden corner of the world and the fabric stores.An area where a sweet American easily can loose his focus!In the collection there are a mix of both worlds + glimpses of most worlds.A piece of stars and stripes remixed by Venezuelan art director Char Alfonzo in New YorkMeshweaters with an African stripe designed in Denmark.To complete the look, paper glasses from Hong Kong designer Ron Wan for Rene Gurskov– now based in Toronto.Items are skirt like pants; linen jackets tied together, asymmetric tees, bowling shirts, boxershorts and the biggest trackpants.Enough pieces to dress up and be anything but quiet!

What do you do?Right now I’m a nomadic Trend Forecaster / street photographer / fashion blogger exploring the world for the Radicant Fashion Project to answer the question ”does what a guy wears in Rio affect a woman’s outfit in the Lower East Side of New York?” I wanted to see how trends originate move and change in different countries to prove a theory that we all share more references on this planet than we think.

What inspires you?People who are bold and original and aren’t afraid to put themselves out there if they are passionate about something. Being placed in new situations where I have to “relearn” the rules: this is a always a humbling and eye opening experience.

What was your big break?I had a big break in my “previous” career as a video producer when I started producing fashion shows for New York Fashion week. I’m still waiting for my big break as a trend forecaster but I know this project I’m doing is a big step in the right direction.

What is most essential to what you do?To have an open mind and be ultra aware!

What might people be surprised to learn about your job?Sometimes I really have to push myself to my extreme limits to photograph people and portray a city in a way I feel it deserves to be portrayed. I will literally be combing the streets for several hours a day, camera in hand. There are also communication issues. In China I had to swallow my fear and go up to people with my 5 words of Mandarin and try to explain to them what I was doing and why. It was a difficult experience but rewarding in the end as all of the kids from Beijing and Shanghai generously shared their time and enthusiasm which resulted in great photographs.

What are the dangers of your job?That you forever live in the future and the newness.

Best and worse career point:Worst career point:During this trip none (aside from dark circles under my eyes because of travel fatigue).Best career point:Rediscovering Paris – where I used to live – and concluding that the kids are more than alright; Being welcomed with open arms by the people of Copenhagen; finding extreme quirkyness in Helsinki; learning that the youth of Beijing and Shanghai are just as stylish if not more than New Yorkers; Giving a lecture to the students at Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Going off the beaten path and finding amazing fashion and amazing people in Fukuoka; finding actual fashionable pedestrians in LA … and there still remains Rio and possibly Sao Paulo… who knows what else I will discover